Method and apparatus for hot stamping with full automatic presses



Nov.' 29, 1927.

H. l. Tol-:PFERT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR* HOT STAMPING WITH FULL AUTOMATIC PRESSES 77 45 /wEc//A A//CA L if OPERA T5070 46. F550 CA RUS -FRQM 5 TA cfr 3] /6 'Wa BAC/f T0 57A c/r /7 Filed OC`,.19. 1926 INVESTOR eizy j Tffrf 6 Sheets-Sheet l n AT ORNEY Nov. 29, 192 7.

H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD AND APPARATUSFOR HOT STAMPING WITH FULL AUTOMATIC PRESSES ,Filed oct.19. 192e e sheets-Sheet 2 lNvENToR Kw2/y J Tae/Jff'f /Mo ATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,666

H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HOT STAMPING WITH FULL AUTOMATIC PRESSES Filed 0ot.19. 1926 6 sheets-Sheet 5 /Cm IATTORNEY Nov. 29, 1927. 1,650,666

- H. J. 'rol-:PFERT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HOT STAMPING WITH FULL AUTOMATIC .PRES-SES Fji 1ed 0ct.19. 192e 6 sheets-sheet 4 ff j? u INVENTOR- Z770@ 6v @i @2% ff ATTORNEY H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HOT STAMPING WITH FULL AUTOMATIC PRESSES Filed 061;.19. 1926 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR m.. um

H. J. TOEPFERT METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR lHOT STAMPING WITH FULL AUTOMATIC PRESSES Filed Ooc.19. 1926 6 Sheets-Sme?l 6 INVENTOR. JEF/@jeff l r. s ATTORNEY A `Patented Nov. 29, 1,927.

UNITED s'rixri-:sA PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY J. -il!OIEIEl-FEIRJ?,v OF HOLYOKE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASS-IGNOR '.IJO WHITE AND vNYCKOII'SII MANUFACTURING COMPANY,' OF HOLYKE,

` IDBATION DF MASSACHUSETTS.

MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- rrzrrron AND APPARATUS ron fromv STAMPING WITH ;ULL AUTOMATIC rnnssns.

Application led October 19, 1826. Serial No. 142,554.

.The present invention relates broadly to the art of hot'stamping cardboard, sheets of paper, or the like, and more especially to a method and apparatus forhot stamping ofj cards in embossed designs incolor (or metal) in very rapid sequence'. By means of the invention cards, such as Christmas cards, may be. machine fed to and'delivered from a continuouslyrunning press ata speed equal to' that used in ordinarytype printing operations.

In hot stamping on cards the color, gold or other metal,"is carried von a paper backlng or the likeL usually a strip in roll form, by

means of a binder that may be melted by heat. 'The color strip is forced against the card by a hot die whichmelts the binder and leavesthe metal such as gold, silver, etc. (or

color as the'case may be) Von the card, usually over anembossed figure. is commonly carriedout by special that are hand fed at a slow rate.

It `has been proposedto utilize the ordipresses nary printing 'press forhot stamping on rolled paper, by permitting thefpaper and vcolor strip to move together. thereby obtaining the same long period of time, as in hand feeding, to elapse before attempting to sepl arate the paper and the color strip (see U. S.

Patent 1,549,065, to Coon August 1.1, 19525.).

" This allows time for -the melted binder to cool before it is lnecessary to strip the, color strip from the paper. This idea is not adaptable to hot' stamping cards, because cards must be individually fed to and from the v adaptable 'for travel with the color strip.V

A. printing press provided trade as an automatic-press) for ordinary printing withv typeonl cards operates at a' very much higher speed than a hand fed press. With this kind of a press the machine itself feeds anddelivers the -cards without...

the interventionof a. human operator.r AS

is-said in the trade, the machine operates automatically;` and the speed is such that the time interval hetweenthe' impression and the separation of thetype from the card '1s .very short, and lwouldnot be sufficient tov permit the cooling of a color strip binder This operation? may be carried out at high speed in conj unction with a' machine feed and delivery mech.- anism` by arranging the supports for the card and'for the color strip- 1n such manner that the'opening-of the bed and platen will tend zto raise the stampedrportion `.of the card slightly from the plat'en and also permit the paper strip to separate from the die, therebyfacilitating circulation of air, which rushes in back of the'color strip as `itleaves the dieand rushes in under the card when it is lifted. Preferably, the supports for the color strip are arranged ,to permit a sufiicient slack in the strip to cause an angular pull between the color strip and the card yso that the color strip is peeledfrom the card rather than being lifted directly therefrom, This desirable operation may be pro duced by arranging yielding supports for the color strip or by allowing sufficient slack to the color strip so that the peelingiaction A time the stripping must not; beso quick as to tear the color strip. I have found that vby holding the cardin the manner described so as to allow the card to `yield the color carrying strip may beuquickly separ'atedfroml the card without injuring the metal,

y lor color, on the card or without tearing the l with machine feed and dehvery mechanism (known in thev color carrying strip. While various types of presses may be used, an oscillating bed press, t

the' upper edge of which has a greater linear movement than'the lower edge, is admirably 'adapted for use in carrying out my invention. JAccording to my method, thestrippin operation unpeels the strip from the car as the dies arepopened and permits the resilientelasticl forces inthe card ritself to regulate the peeling forces during stripping action.

The above-specified method permits suffcient cooling to take place in the time allowed with the fast operation of a full mechanically operated feed kand delivery press.` The cooling air is automatically drawnuin to the heated zone in three'layers, namely, one

layer flowing between the hot die and color strip as the die recedes; the second layer flowin -between the card and the coldldie as the co orstrip'lifts the middle of the card from the cold die; and the third lilm of air flows between the color strip and' the card during the peeling action. The third cooling lim of air becomes effective after the first and second layers have been in contact. with the back of the card and the back of the color strip while the card and the color strip are still stuck together. An important factor appears to be a provision for holding or guiding the color strip in such manner as to cause an angular pulling away of the color strip from the impressed card to facilitate peeling the strip from the card.

The disclosure herewith comprising this specification and drawings are for the purT pose of describing the prmcipal of operation of my invention in accordance with the requirements of the patent statutes. However, I realize that the invention may be carried out in mechanisms other than that herewith disclosed, and, therefore, I desire that this disclosure shall be considered as illustrative and not in the limiting sense.

Throughout the several figures of the drawings, like characters are utilized to represent like parts.

Fig. 1 isa diagrammatic representation of ortions of an oscillating bed printing press Enown in the trade as a full automatic press. Many parts of the printing press that are well known in the art are omitted for the sake of clearness.

Fig. 2 is a view which illustrates in perspective a preferred arrangement for mounting the color strip mechanism on the bed portion of such an oscillating press.

` Fig. 3 is a detail end elevational view of part of the stri feeding mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a p an view of a portion of the feeding` mechanism .illustrated in Fig.. 3.

Fig. 5 isa detail side elevational view of one end of the color strip feed rolls.

Fig.V 6 illustrates a pre erred arrangement of travel for the color strip when mountedon an oscillating bed press.

Fig. 7 illustrates the beginning of the separation of the color strip from an embossed card according to myinvention.

Referring now to the drawings and more especially to Fig. 1, the diagrammatic illustration of the printing press comprises a frame Isupporting a. mam shaft carrying a pinion 2, a pitman gear 4 driven lby the pinion 2, and connected by pitman 5 with the oscillating bed-arms 6 which may be pivoted at 7 tothe frame 1 and which carries the usual bed 8. This bed is provided with an electric heater 9 which heats the face plate 10 of the bed. This face plate 10 carries a die 11 of metal, or the like, which is heated from the face plate 10, which in turn receives heat from the electric heater 9 so that the die is maintained hot during the operation of the press. The platen 12 of the press carries a corresponding die 14 which is adapted to register with the hot die 11 carried bythe bed 8 of the press.

In order to avoid confusion, the mechanically operated feed and delivery mechanism for placing cards in position on the platen and removing the same after the stamping operation, has been omitted. Any mechamsm forthis purpose well known in the art may be utilized and as a matter of illustration, reference is made to the mechanism have been delivered from the-press.

After a card has been machine fed to position on the platen 12, a holder frame 18.moves downward by action of the cam 19 operating on the roller 20 on the operating arm 21 for the holder frame 18. This holder frame may be guided by a pivoted guidelink 22 to have a downward and inward movement so that the cords or wires 24 and 25 on the holder frame contact with the upper and lower margins of the card and hold the card in position after the embossing operation is completed and until the color strip has been removed from the card at which time the holder frame moves upwardly out of the way and the delivery mechanism is effective to deliver the card vfrom the platen and stack the same upon a'stack of delivered cards 17.

The usual inking mechanism has been removed and a color strip feed mechanism has been mounted in its place. Referring now more particularly to Figs. l, 2 and 6 which illustrate a preferred mechanism for the color strip, a supply roll 26 is mounted back of the bed 8 and may be provided if desired with a suitable friction brake 27 which tends to provide tension on .the color strip. Preferably, the color strip 28 is led downwardly at a relatively sharp angle from the supply roll 26 over a lower guide roll 2l) where the color strip 28 makes an acute angle and travels upwardly over the face of the hot die 11 on the bed of the press. Then the color strip is carried over a top guide roll 30 and then backwardly at an angle over a front guide roll 31 to corrugated feed rolls 32 and 34, and finally to the take up roll 35. The color strip bearing areas 36 in which color has been taken` is positively gripped between the corrugated feed rolls 32 and 34 so that it is given a positive upward feed over the hot die 1l. The sharp angle which the color strip makes Vto put the portionl of the` 'color' strip Iover the platen, under a slight tension during the peeling operation. This Vtension may if desired be regulated by a friction. brake 27. A pair of resilient wires or cords 37vand 38, arranged one on each side of the hot die 11 provide arelatively small free section to the color strip between these Wires and over the hot die. lVhen the dies are closed,

the color strip is tightly compressed against the card over the pressure area portion of the two dies,`and the pigment from the color strip is left on the card because of the melting of the binder for the pigment due to heat from the hot die. The cold die 14 preferably is of sufficient height that only the embossed portion of the card is under pres- SLll'. I

.' After the impression is made and4 the dies start to open, a condition arises as is illustrated .in Fig. 7. The opening of the bed from the platen pulls the back of the color strip away from the hot die 11 and air immediately rushes in between the hot die and the color strip. The continued opening of the bed begins to put stress upon the color strip 28. This is resisted'by the wires 37 and f larity between the color strip and the card.

This bows out the card and gradually peels the color strip off of thecard in a manner' as illustrated in Fig. 7, thus leaving the color upon the card and freeing the strip .from the card. This peeling operation alsofacilitates the entrance of 'air between the color strip and the .card and further cools the binding material. As the-bed continues its opening, the color strip is entirely peeled' from' the card, so that the card Sis left free to be lifted from sthe press by the delivery mechanis1n.,. v This arrangement which causes the peeling action o'f the'eelorstrip from the card facilitates rapid cooling sol that I am enabled by this system of embossing and applying color by hot stamping to adapt the same to the rapid operations-y produced by a press provided with a full machine feed and delivery mechanism.

Referring now to Figs. 2, 3,4, and 5, the mechanismv for feeding forward K4the'color strip comprises an operating arm 40 pro vided on its lower end with an antifriction roll 41 which is maintained in engagement with the top of the 4pitman 5 by means of a spring 42 coiled around the shaft 44 on which the operating arm 40 is mounted.v

Thisshaft 44 carries on the other .endan arm 45 which is provided with a plurality.'

of openings 46 in which the pivot for the link 47 may be placed in order to adjust the effective operation of the link, and thereby the feed of the strip, by placing the pivotV thereof nearer to or further away from the axis of the shaft 44. This link 47 connects with a rack 48 in such manner that the rack is moved to and fro, when the arm 45x oscillates. A drive gear pinion 49 is 'in mesh with the rack 48 and carries a ratchet mechanism 50 in such manner as to communicate the rotation ofthe drive pinion 49 to the roll shaft 51 when the rack moves forwardly, and the pawlA of the ratchet mechanism 50 rides idly over the ratchet wheel when the rack moves backwardly. The roll shaft 51 carries a pinion 54 which meshes with an upper pinion 55. The roll shaft 51 also carries the corrugated roll 32, while the pinion shaft 57 on which the up.- per pinion is mounted carries the upper corrugated roll 34. This upper roll is mounted in bearings 59 which are pressed downwardly by means of adjustable springs 60 in order to form line of pressure contact with the lower feed roll 32. A dog 61. is arranged to cooperate with the lower pinion 54 to prevent backward movement of the rolls so that the feed of thecolorl strip is in one direction only. The shaft 5l is provided on its other end with a pulley 62 which carries a belt 64 that runs to another pulley 65 on the take up shaft 6.6. This take up shaft 66 is mounted in arms 67, and carries a take up reel 35.

As the press operates, a card is fed in po.

loa

sition` on the platen` by the full machine oprespondingcolddie 14. The pigment binder lll) is'inelted Aby this application of heat and pressure andthen the press starts to open by the swinging of the bed outwardly on the pivoted bedarms. When this takes place the -3 peeling action, previously referred to occurs. After the color strip is peeled from the card, the holder frame rises, and the delivery mechanism lifts the card fromthe platen-and delivers it to the stack of embossed cards. During the latter part of the opening of the press and the first part of the closing of the press, the forward end of the pitman 5 has been oscillating'in a down ward direction and this causes the arm 40 to Swingin a downward are under the influence of the spring 42V thereby causing they 'pawl of th'e ratchet mechanism 50 to engage the teeth of the ratchet, and through the cards.

pinions 54 and 55 to turn the feed rolls and feed the color strip forwardly one step. During the latter part of the closing and the first part of the opening of the press, the arm rises andthe pawl of the ratchet mechanism rides idly over the ratchet teeth.

of hand work-was necessary, requiring three operators to each press, namely, a feeder, a lay-off man, and a press man. Furthermore, there was the important question of registration vto be dealt with. The maximum output by the prior art method was approxi#` mately 8,000 cards per day for. each opera-iV tion; and since :two operations; were re, quired for each card, it tookl-.rfaepre'ss and three operators two days (i.`,e.l16 000 operations) 'to finish 8,000 cards. The resent inventioii, whereby the operations .are performed entirely by thefmachine, enables one press man (noiotlier operators being required) to run two or threepresses and to turn out as manyas` 20,000 finished cards per day on each press.

' While the drawings illustrate a preferred construction and arrangement, I desire it to be understood thatl the terms used vin this specification and in the claims have the fol-l l.in

lowing significance :,-Color is used in sig-i nifymg a color pigment, or metal leaf, or metallic powder; strip refers t'o either'y a :continuous piece such asa roll or separate pieces adapted to carry the color which lis to ,be transferred; vdie comprises afiat mem: ber, an itaglio recess, or araised cameo design either in full or'in outline; card means a piece ofinaterial in sheet form, such as, for

example, a sheet of cardboard,y or sheet of paper, or fiber board, or metal, r othermaterial; peeling refers to an action whereby the line of separation of materials moves in a' progressive manner as distinguished from a separation such as occurs when type faces are lifted from printed paper; full machine operated used in connection with mechanismfor carrying out a specified manipulation of a card or lthe like, means that the manipulation is carried out by the machine without the intervention of a human operator, such mechanism being known as an automatic feed and delivery mecha` nism.

- I Iaving described my invention,what I claim is:

1'. In a power operated press havingfull machine operated card feeding and delivering mechanism, means to feed a color strip, a heated die adapted to transfer the color from said strip to av card in said machine, and means to separatel said strip from said card after an impression has been made.

2. In a power operated ress having-full machine operated card fee ing and de 'vering mechanism, a hot die, a cold die, mechanism to feed a color strip between said dies in such manner that the color strip comes between the hot die and the card to be stam ed, and means to produce an angular relation between the stamped portion of the card andthe adjacent portion of the color "strip so that the color strip is peeled from the stamped portion" of the card when the dies are opened.

3. In a power operated press having full machine operated card feeding and delivering mechanism, a hot die, a cold die, mechanism to feed a color strip between said dies in such manner that a fresh portion of the color 'strip 'comes between the hot die and the card to be stamped, while the dies are .'bpening, die operating mechanism, and

.before the stamping operation and remove the same after the stamping operation, supports for;a color strip, mechanism to close said dies andptiansfer a portion of the color from said color strip to said card, said supportsfor'saide'olor strip being arranged to peel'said'color strip from said card after the stamping operation, and means to move the coloristrip to position fresh coloring material for the next operation. v A

5. A machine for hot stamping upon cards comprising full machine operated card feeding and delive adapted to resiliently engage the margins of said card,a heated die, means to impress said die against said card, and devices to mount a.,color strip ovef said hot die in such manner that the color stri is peeled from said card by said devices 'a er the stamping is completed.

6. A machinefor liot stamping upon cards omprisingjfull machine operated card feeding meehanism,`a card support adapted to resiliently"engage the margins of said card, a' heated die, means to impress said die against said card, and devices to mount a color strip over 'said hot die in such manner that the color strip is peeled from said card mechanism, a card support llo 7. A machine for hot stamping upon.'l cards by said devices after thestamping is comp eted. v

comprising a card support adapted' to re-l slliently engage themargins ofsaid crd, a heated die, means to'impress said die against said card, fullmachine operated devices to.`

remove said card vwhen the stamping is fin'- ished, and devices to mount 'a colorstrip over said hot die in such .manner thal't the color stripis peeled. from -said card by said devices after the stamping' is completed.

vices to mount a co 8. A machine for hot stamping upon cariecomprising a card support adapted'to r siliently engage opposite vmargins of said card and hold the same throughout the stamping operation, a heated die, means to impress said die a ainst sald card, and delor strip Oversaid hot die in such manner that the color strip is'peeled from said card by said vdevicesfafterthe stamping is completed. r

9. The method of hot stampingI on material coinpri-sing impressing a color stripl against saidi material by hot die and removing the die; then peeling. the color strip from opposite sides ofthe stamped portion toward the center thereof.

10. The methodof hot stamping on materialI comprising impressing a color strip against said material by hot die and removing the die, then simultaneously pulling the color strip outwardly away from the mate-- rial on opposite sides of the Vstamped portion to peel the color strip rom opposite sides ofthe stamped portion t ward the center thereof.

11. The method of hot. stamping upon sheet material comprising impressing a color strip against said sheet material by a hot die, lifting the material to permit, circulation of air thereunder, and peelinfg the color strip from the stamped portion o the' material; Y

142. The method of hot stamping upon sheet material y comprising impressing a color strip against said sheet. material by a hot die, seperating the hot die from the back of the color strip to permit cool air to enter therebetween, lifting the material'vto permit circulation fof air thereunder, and peeling the color stri from' thestamped portion' of the material gradually, pulling the color strip awayat an angle to'. the iiaaterial. "al,

- 13. The'method of hot stampinga cai-dj,

comprisin impressing a color strip against saidcard y a hot die and remoying thedie, supporting the card vto permit the card to e bowed outwardly, and pulling the colorstr p away from the card atan angle to bow o t the card and peel the color strip from sald card.

14. The lmethod of hot stamping a card comprising impressingla color stripagainst said card by' a ho t 'e and removing the die, supporting the card at vthe edges to permit thecard to be bowed outwardly,` and pullin the color strip away from the card` on eac side of the stampedarea andvat an angleto the card to bow out the card and p eel thecolor strip from said-card.

' 15. The method of hot stamping a card comprising embossing a figure on `the card yand impressing .a-color strip against'jsaid card by a hot die and removing the die, sup- 75 orting thecardto permit the card to yb'e owed outwardly, and pullingv the color stripl away from the embossed area and at-t an -angle to the A face .of the card to bow out the card 'and card. l v

164A .machine for hot stamping vuponsheets of paper, comprising ,a hot die carrying a design to be embossed, a platen, means to causea relativemovement between said die 35 and said platen for the stamping operation, ,machine operated mechanism to feed sheets .of paper over said platen', means tosu port a color strip ribbon over said die,.an adjustablefeeding deviceto -feedy said c0101: .90."

e,"sid devices bela limited distance by the color'f strip; yand 105 means to cause a relative movement betweenv the die and ycard tov stamp the color stri against a portion of the c ard `and then pu 1 the same therefrom. X

'18. A machine -for hot stamping anism to support a color strip adjacent the stamping face of the die, said supporting mechanism com rising means engagmg the strip adjacent A ative to hold va oardon thesplaten while permitting the stamped-'portion of the'car ,tof be lifted a limited distance from the platen by'pull upon the color strip ;jand 'means to cause a relative movement between the jdie '120' 'and @platenA to stamp the color strip againstl a portion of thecard and then peel the same therefrom.

19.1 Inthe art of hot stamping `upon se arate-'sheets of paper,'the combination o al125 heated die, a support for the sheets of paper to sustain stamping" pressure, means to operate the heated die to a ply pressure to the paper and to remove t 'e die after the' impression, feeding means" to feed a color strlp 180 peel the color strip from said!30 v ipon `cards comprising a hotl die; a platenymeche die; a card holder operon opposite sides of the die 'to simultaneously pull said color strip on both sides of the stamped area, the pull being at an angle to the stamped paper whereby the,color strip is removed from the stamped portion by being simultaneously peeled from both sides thereof.

20. A machine for hot. stamping, a platen adapted to support material to be hot stamped, a hot stamp, and means to operate said stamp to cause a stamped impression on said material, mechanism to feedl a color strip over said hot stamp,"and means to cause said color strip to 'be pulled at an angle from the stamped portion of said material on opposite sides thereof so as to cause the color strip to ,be peeled from opposite sides of the stamped portion toward the center thereof.

21. A machine for hot stamping upon f cards comprising full machine operated card feeding and delivery mechanism, a die, means to support and heat said die, a laten, means to cause a relative movement etween said die and platen for stamping operations, means to support a color strip over said die, and adjustable feeding devices to move said color strip over said die after each stamping operation, said adjustable feeding devices comprising adjustable elements to control the feed of the color strip proportionate to the dimension measured lengthwise on the stri of the outline. of the operating face of t e die.

HENRY J. TOEPFERT. 

